


Better Than That

by PrettyLittleMonster



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Fluff, Pining, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-18
Updated: 2019-11-18
Packaged: 2021-02-08 09:27:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,478
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21473749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrettyLittleMonster/pseuds/PrettyLittleMonster
Summary: One week ago, Barry hooked up with the girl he's had a crush on since the day he met her. And now her brother is going to bully him into asking her out?(Had some struggles with tags, but there's mentions of a past hook up in this, nothing super explicit, but it's there)
Relationships: Barry Bluejeans/Lup
Comments: 2
Kudos: 60





	Better Than That

**Author's Note:**

> Title is from the song Better Than That by Marina and the Diamonds, because I was listening to it in the car and this popped into my head.
> 
> Thanks to my best friend, @creative--crisis on Tumblr, for beta reading this and for always inspiring me to be the best writer I can be.

Exactly one week earlier, Barry J Bluejeans had had sex with the girl he'd had a crush on since they met in his bio class, freshman year of college. And here there were, a few short months away from graduation day, and Lup Taaco had called him just before midnight, convinced him to come over to her apartment, and then asked him if he wanted to have sex with her. What was he supposed to say? No? When he'd been crushing on her--borderline in love with her--for almost four years? Of course he said yes. He would have regretted it forever if he'd said no. 

And it was good, better than he ever imagined--and he had definitely imagined, even if he was ashamed to say it. She was... amazing. Maybe it was telling that Barry couldn't stop thinking about how soft her skin was, or how pretty she sounded moaning in his ear, or how beautiful she looked when she came... 

But now it had been a week, and she hadn't even mentioned it. He and Lup weren't like best friends or anything, but they talked in class and she sometimes texted him dumb memes she thought he would like. And that was fine. He was glad nothing had changed between them--or he would have been if he didn't so desperately want things to change. He couldn't make her love him, but that didn't mean he couldn't wish she would. 

It was a week after it happened that Taako approached him. Barry was just trying to eat his lunch in a quiet corner of the science center before his lab, when the blonde elf sat down across from him. 

"You wanna hear a story, Barold?" He asked, and then continued without waiting for Barry to respond. "I got kicked out of my apartment last Friday. Had to sleep over at Magnus's dorm. Any idea why that is?" 

He knew. Oh god, he knew and he was gonna be pissed. 

"I uh- no, I don't- um-"

"Barry..."

"Okay, I... may have stopped by..." 

Barry's face was already red enough, but then Taako just quirked an eyebrow up at him and said simply, "I know you fucked my sister, Barold," and Barry had to hide his face in his hands. 

"Taako, I-"

"Don't bother, nerd, I'm not mad," Taako chuckled, clearly enjoying Barry's suffering. "I'm just giving you shit, I'm just... kinda curious..."

Barry ventured a look up from his hands. "About?"

"Well you like her, right?" Taako looked expectant.

"I mean, who wouldn't-"

"No," he inturrupted. "You like her. You have for a long time."

Barry just nodded, unable to meet Taako's gaze. Was it really that obvious? 

"So you like her, you really fuckin like her, and what? You just sleep with her once and that's it? You do everything she wanted that one night and just... throw everything else away?" 

"I... I didn't..." He was at a loss for words. It wasn't like Lup liked him back. He was grateful just for the chance to get to be something to her, even if it was only for a moment. He just didn't know how to articulate that to Taako. 

"Listen, Barold-" Taako pulled his chair closer, sitting up on the back of it, boots perched on the actual seat. "Lup... How do I say she sleeps around without being misogynistic and gross? Because like, more power to her. She's safe and it makes her happy, so like cool, whatever, but I know for a fact that I'm kicked out again tonight, and that it's not for you, and I bet that hurts you."

Barry just stared at the ground. He'd known, of course, how Lup worked, but it still pained him to hear it laid out so plainly. "I mean, she doesn't owe me anything," he murmured, just looking completely dejected.

"I mean yeah, duh, but you're better than that, Barry. You're better than a one night stand. Most of the guys she brings back are trash, I mean fuckin Greg Grimauldus? Garbage. But you're different than those guys."

Barry had no idea what to say. He wasn't sure if Taako was implying what he thought he was, but he didn't have to wonder long, because Taako kept talking, leaning in closer and lowering his voice. 

"Listen to me, Bluejeans. You're down on yourself, you think you don't have a 'chance' with her or whatever, but, my man? You've got a better shot than any guy she's ever said two words to."

Barry's heart lept. "You really think so? I- I mean, I'm just- I wanna be good to her, you know? She deserves someone who will love her and-"

"Gross," Taako inturrupted. "Go be in love somewhere else. I'm just saying, if you wanna shoot your shot, you gotta do it, and not second guess yourself, okay?" He paused, looking Barry over for a moment. "I like the looks of you. Don't ever tell anyone I told you that." He hopped up from his chair then, clapping Barry on the back as he left. 

He stared down at his half eaten lunch. He might actually have a shot with Lup. That thought astounded him. But Taako would know her better than anyone, and if he thought it was possible...

Well, Barry had a lot to think about.

...

It took him another week to work up the courage to do it. He knew he had one shot at this; he had to do it, and not back down. After the class they had together; he'd tell her then. His nerves had been building up all day, but he pushed them aside. 

She was about to leave when he caught up to her. "Lup?" He gently touched her arm to get her attention and she turned toward him. God, she was beautiful. She didn't have any makeup on and her long, blonde hair was in two French braids and Barry could have kissed her right then and there. He didn't, of course, but he could have.

"What's up, Bar?" She asked, and he couldn't help but smile when she used that little nickname that only she called him. 

"Can I... pull you away for just a second?" 

She looked at him curiously, but she nodded, letting him pull her off into a little, more secluded corner for a moment. 

"Lup, I..." He looked at her, her pretty green eyes fixed on him. "I'm just gonna come right out and say it--I don't want to just be a one night stand for you. I want more. I want you--and not just like that, I want all of you." He wanted to look away, but he didn't, something he regretted almost instantly as Lup's face fell. 

"Barry..." She looked uncomfortable, and Barry began to wonder if he'd made an awful mistake trusting Taako, but before he could backtrack, she spoke again. "Barry, are you sure? You know, I'm not... always like that..."

Barry nearly laughed. "Lup, I- of course I'm sure. I don't like you because we slept together, I... I've liked you since I met you. I like that you're funny and clever even when you aren't trying, and I like how you get really focused on things when you're working hard, and I like how you are when you're quiet and soft and I like how you are when you're excited and loud and... I like /you/, Lup. All of you." 

For a moment, Lup just looked at him, and he couldn't quite read her expression, but then she smiled. "I... I like you too, Barry..." She smiled wider, as if saying it out loud had made it more real. "I really like you..."

Barry was smiling too. "Do you... want to go out sometime? Like, on a real date?"

"Yeah, that sounds really nice..." She looked like she was thinking about something for a moment and then she leaned up and kissed him, soft and sweet. It was nothing like the way she'd kissed him that night in her apartment; it was gentle and giddy and it made Barry's heart beat just a little faster. He held her face in his hands as he kissed her back, and when he did pull away, they were both beaming. 

"I uh... I have to go," Lup murmured. "I have a class to get to, but um... I'll text you, okay? Uh..." She leaned in and kissed him one more time, quick and fleeting, and it only made Barry look forward to the possibility of more. 

"See you soon, Lup..." He smiled and with that she was gone, flitting away to her next class. Barry just watched her go, leaning against the wall in awe. Lup. He was going on a date with Lup.

He definitely needed to text Taako and say thank you...

**Author's Note:**

> Yell at me on Tumblr @propertyoflup


End file.
